AimsTo investigate whether ginkgolide B (a platelet-activating factor inhibitor) affects vascular inflammation in atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice.Methods and ResultsHuman platelets were used to evaluate the effects of ginkgolide B on platelet aggregation and signal transduction. Ginkgolide B attenuated platelet aggregation and inhibited phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) activation and Akt phosphorylation in thrombin- and collagen-activated platelets. ApoE−/− mice were administered a high-cholesterol diet for 8 weeks. Plasma platelet factor 4 (PF4) and RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted protein) were then measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry were used to determine atherosclerotic lesions. Ginkgolide B decreased plasma PF4 and RANTES levels in ApoE−/− mice. Scanning electron microscopic examination showed that ginkgolide B reduced aortic plaque in ApoE−/− mice. Immunohistochemistry analysis demonstrated that ginkgolide B diminished P-selectin, PF4, RANTES, and CD40L expression in aortic plaque in ApoE−/− mice. Moreover, ginkgolide B suppressed macrophage and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) expression in aorta lesions in ApoE−/− mice. Similar effects were observed in aspirin-treated ApoE−/− mice.ConclusionGinkgolide B significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesions and P-selectin, PF4, RANTES, and CD40L expression in aortic plaque in ApoE−/− mice. The efficacy of ginkgolide B was similar to aspirin. These results provide direct evidence that ginkgolide B inhibits atherosclerosis, which may be associated with inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway in activated platelets.

We fabricated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers doped with Rhodamine 6G laser dyes via an electrospinning technique, which were then excited by a pulsed laser for laser emission. The laser was observed at a low threshold of several µJ and the intensity increased with the dye concentration. A single peak with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 4 nm was detected for a fiber of 300 nm diameter and multi-peaks with an FWHM of 2 nm were recorded as the diameter was increased to 800 nm. However, the multi-peaks tended to saturate to one laser peak with an intensive incident laser. The lasing mode was closely related to the diameters of the PVA fibers. Simulating results indicated that the single and multiple modes were closely related to the pump wavelength. The nanofiber as a network forming a random laser is expected to be used as a waveguide in communications and the multi-modes have potential application in cryptology.

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